Advanced imaging techniques have shown that with age, people commonly develop small changes inside their brains that have unknown impact on their health. Today’s MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scanners are frequently detecting tiny areas of bleeding ‘micro-haemorrhaging’ in the brain, blockages in small blood vessels and ‘white matter’ lesions (groups of cells) in the brains of otherwise healthy older people.
Researchers do not know if these changes are possible indicators of potential stroke or dementia, or if they are a normal part of healthy ageing.
ASPREE-NEURO aims to determine the relationship between the presence of white matter lesions and/or changes in small blood vessels of the brain and whether that puts older people at risk of having a stroke or developing dementia in the future. MRI scans may also help to explain how aspirin affects these changes in the brain.
What does participation involve?
ASPREE-NEURO study participants undergo 3 brain MRI scans; the first at the beginning of the ASPREE study (prior to starting study medication) and subsequent scans at 1 and 3 year’s time.
Participants also undertake two short thinking and memory exercises, unless they have already completed these in the SNORE-ASA sub-study. All MRI scans are free and undertaken at the Monash Biomedical Imaging Centre (MBI) in Melbourne. No contrast dyes are used during imaging and significant abnormal findings in the first and subsequent MRIs will be reported to the participant’s GP.
Enrolment in ASPREE-Neuro is closed.
How to find out more about the ASPREE-NEURO study:
- Download the ASPREE-NEURO brochure
- Ring 1800 728 745 (toll free from a landline)
Collaborators:
- Monash University
- Monash University Biomedical Imaging Centre
- ASPREE GP Co-investigators
Funding:
- Monash University
- The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)